


What's in a name

by Windfighter



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Gen, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:01:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24320248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windfighter/pseuds/Windfighter
Summary: Sigrun learns a secret Emil's been hiding and Emil handles it well.
Relationships: Lalli Hotakainen & Emil Västerström
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	What's in a name

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Sad Emil-art](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/623683) by MollyVampiric. 



> Not sure what to say here? Enjoy some sad Emil!

”Elvira, huh?”

Sigrun grinned at Emil, slung an arm over his shoulder and ruffled his hair. Emil froze.

”Cute name”, she said before she released him.

Emil couldn't breathe. He could, but it was shallow and quick and didn't give him enough oxygen. How did she know? How did she find out? How... Flashes of the dream that had plagued him during the night flashed infront of his eyes (”Mooom, my name is _Emil_ , not _Elvira_!”) and he stopped breathing again. He must have talked in his sleep, must have muttered something while she was standing guard. He clenched his hands to stop them from shaking. He really needed to stop talking in his sleep.

”I'm just”, his voice wavered and he swallowed. ”I'm gonna go pee.”

His steps could _almost_ count as running, but he wasn't trying to run away, wasn't trying to hide the water that burned his eyes. Huge tears rolled down his cheek and he angrily wiped his hand over it. He never believed the lie that men didn't cry, of course they did, but that didn't apply to _him_. He sniffled, made another angry swipe with his hand over his eyes. It didn't help. His hand went to his chest but no, it was as flat as he could get it. His breathing got quicker again, more tears fell.

” **Fan** !”

He hit the closest tree. Pain radiated from his hand and through his arm. He could breathe again. Tears were still falling, but he could breathe. He sniffled, wiped at the tears again.

”Hey.”

The voice was soft. Emil whipped around, pressed his back against the tree. Lalli stopped, stared at him, then kept walking towards him. Slowly, as if he was approaching a scared animal and Emil laughed internally because in a way he was. Emil's whole body screamed at him to run away, to hide from the shame, from the bullying that he was certain was going to come because it always did.

Lalli was infront of Emil. Emil could still run away and of course he couldn't outrun Lalli but he could  _ try.  _ He didn't. Lalli looked to the side, looked at Emil again. Emil couldn't get oxygen into his lungs.

” _ Emil _ ”, Lalli said and put a hand on his shoulder.

Emil nodded. His knees felt weak, he felt light-headed, nauseous. He gave a short laugh.

”Emil”, he said, affirming what Lalli had said.

”Back?” Lalli gestured towards the camp and Emil gave another nod.

”Yeah, let's head back.” He dried his eyes again and this time they stayed dry. ”Hey, Lalli? Uuuh... Thank you.”

Lalli looked at his hand, closed it and hit Emil's arm before heading back. Emil laughed and followed him. Sigrun knew and Emil didn't know what would come from that, but at least he knew Lalli had his back.


End file.
